sister's face in Pauline's. She did not for a single moment accuse
the child of any wrong-doing. She did not imagine that what ailed her
could have to do with the mind. Nevertheless she was anxious about her.
Miss Tredgold had a good deal of penetration, but she was not accustomed
to children. She thought that children of Pen's age were more little
animals than anything else. It did not occur to her that a small child
like Pen could have a mind of a very extraordinary order, and that the
mind of this child could work in a direction which might hurt others. She
did not suppose such a terrible child could exist.

Pauline was therefore more or less a prey to the naughtiness of Pen, who
used her as a weapon for her own enjoyment. Pen was quite determined to
enjoy herself at the seaside. She would have her bucket and spade and
make castles in the sand as long as ever she liked, and she would play
with other children, and would make acquaintance with them. She insisted
also on going very often to the shops to buy caramels or chocolates. In
short, she was determined that during her brief stay at Easterhaze she
would have as good a time as possible. It is quite on the cards that she
would not have had so good a time as she did but for the agency of
Pauline. Pauline, however, in spite of herself, sided with Pen. She
almost hated Pen, but she sided with her. She used to throw her voice
into the scale of Pen's desires, and Pen in consequence got pretty much
what she wanted.

There came a day when two children, a boy and a girl of the name of
Carver, ran up to Pen and asked her if she would join them in going round
the next promontory and gathering shells in a wide bay on the other side,
which was known as the White Bay. The way to this bay, except at
low-water, was not very safe, as during high-tide the sea was apt to come
up and cut off retreat. Pen, however, knew nothing about this. The moment
she was asked to go it occurred to her that there could be no such
delightful place as the White Bay anywhere else in the world. She knew
well, however, that Miss Tredgold never allowed her to go fifty yards
from the house on either side. She looked up. Pauline was walking along
the upper walk. She had a story-book in her hand. She meant to reach one
of the shelters and sit down there to read. Pen turned to the two Carvers
and said that she must ask permission, but she would be with them in a
minute. She then scrambled up the path and ran